Extrathermodynamic Study of Retention Equilibrium in RP-LC Using a C18-Silica Monolithic Stationary Phase

This study is concerned with the explanation of some thermodynamic properties of the retention equilibrium on a C₁₈-silica monolithic column. Pulse response experiments were carried out in a reversed-phase liquid chromatography system using a methanol/water mixture (70/30, v/v) and n-alkylbenzene homologs as the mobile phase and sample compounds, respectively, in the temperature range between 278 and 318 K. The retention equilibrium constant (K _a) was calculated from the first absolute moment of elution peaks. The dependence of K _a on the column temperature was analyzed using the modified van??t Hoff plot proposed by Krug et al. to derive the changes of the Gibbs free energy, the enthalpy and the entropy concerning the retention behavior. First, the presence of a real enthalpy?Centropy compensation (EEC) for the retention equilibrium was demonstrated. Then, a thermodynamic model based on the real EEC was developed to explain the temperature dependence of the linear free energy relationship (LFER) of the retention equilibrium. The model indicates how the slope and intercept of the LFER are correlated with the compensation temperatures and several molecular thermodynamic parameters. The model was effective for explaining the thermodynamic properties of the retention equilibrium of the C₁₈-silica monolithic stationary phase.